Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 2016-17 Mini-Performance

CUESHEET PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Robert Battle, Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director

All About Ailey About Alvin Ailey You may have heard of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). No surprise—they’ve been on the main dance stage since 1958. Based in New York City, the company has toured all over the world, but who exactly was Alvin Ailey?

Born in a small Texas town in 1931, Alvin Ailey began his dance training at age 11 by being exposed to classical, social, and folk dances, as well as the emerging style of modern dance. But at the start of his career, he encountered few opportunities for African American dancers like himself.

Ailey wanted to create a company that allowed African American dancers to display their talents and to express

their experiences and heritage. When he formed AAADT, it was one of the first professional companies where dancers of all races and backgrounds were welcome.

According to the New York Times, “You didn’t need to have known Alvin personally to be touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multicultural brotherhood.”

Ailey died in 1989, but his legacy lives on with his company and school. Today, AAADT is under the artistic direction of Robert Battle who not only choreographs new works, but who also invites others to create dances for the company.

Cover Photo: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Photo by Pierre Wachholder.

AAADT’s Collin Heyward, Vernard J. Gilmore, Rachael McLaren, Fana Tesfagiorgis in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Photo by Pierre Wachholder.

About Revelations Revelations is Alvin Ailey’s signature work and has been performed by the company since its creation in 1960.

This masterwork has been seen by more people than any other modern dance. More than 25 million audience members in 71 countries have been to a performance.

Now it’s your turn.

It’s hard to watch Revelations and not be caught up in the emotions and atmosphere of the work. The dance is based on Ailey’s early years worshipping at his southern Baptist church. Drawing on his childhood recollections of people and places, and using traditional African American blues, work songs, and spirituals as his musical inspiration, Ailey tells the story of African American faith and persistence in the face of adversity.

Revelations is divided into three sections; each includes several dances representing different aspects or experiences in Baptist worship. The main sections include: n “Pilgrim

of Sorrow” speaks of people yearning for salvation but burdened by the troubles of this life.

Look for arms reaching out in all directions, and bodies pulled back to earth.

n “Take

Me to the Water” is an enactment of Ailey’s own baptism that took place in a pond behind his church.

Watch for the devotional leader in white holding a large white umbrella. She leads a young couple to the baptismal river of billowing blue silk. Look for the way the dancers undulate through their arms and torsos and stretch long pieces of fabric to emulate rippling water.

n “Move,

Members, Move” begins with a trio for three men to the song “Sinner Man.” The next section shows a congregation, decked out in yellow, participating in a joyous church service. Watch how Ailey brings humor to the work by showing churchgoers who gossip and others who fan themselves in the heat.

Ailey described the memories that inspired Revelations as “blood memories” because they were so strong he felt they were part of him as much as the blood that ran through his veins.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Ghari DeVore and Yannick Lebrun in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Photo by Pierre Wachholder

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. Photo by Pierre Wachholder 2015.

About Ailey’s Signature Style Ailey accepted dancers into his company who were trained in different styles including ballet, modern, jazz, and hip hop. He encouraged their individual strengths and differences in style, bringing them together in performance like a conductor of jazz music. Despite these differences, there are common elements in his choreography: n straight

lines in the lower body, with quick and sharp leg and foot movements, like in ballet

n an

expressive upper body with fluid arms and torso movements, like in modern dance

n energetic

dancing that emphasizes strength and expressive hands

n a

fusion of African-influenced movements with ballet and modern dance

There is also good reason why Alvin Ailey called his company “a dance theater.” Ailey was interested in how elements of theater—costumes, props, lighting, and music—could be combined with dance to communicate with an audience.

During the performance, watch… n how

colors have meanings in costumes. Notice how the color scheme for the costumes is different in each section, first earth-toned, then white, and finally yellow.

Why do you think he chose these colors?

n how

props tell a story. In Revelations, the dancers use props to help bring Ailey’s childhood memories to life. For example, long sheets of blue and white fabric stretched across the stage to suggest water; white parasols, wide-brimmed hats, and fans to imply the heat of Texas summers; and stools used by the dancers to represent a seated church congregation.

n how

lighting creates mood. Revelations begins with a group of dancers standing under a single spotlight on a darkened stage. Later, the dancers move across a fully illuminated stage. Why do you think the lighting changes?

For more on JFKC, go to: artsedge.kennedy-center.org

This performance is made possible by the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Deborah F. Rutter President Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

Support for JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy is provided by Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2017 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts